Sheet-feeding mechanism



A. OLSON.

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FlLED JULY 3, 1920.

g gwq Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

If ANDREW EL sum,

nmTsn sTaTas PATENT orrica.

ANDREW OLSON, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CLEVELAND FOLDING MACHINE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SHEET-FEEDING- MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

Application filed July 3, 1920. Serial No. 393,878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW OLSON, a citizen of the United States of 'America, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

a time, to a folding machine, printing press,

or the like. In employing the term rolls, however, I do not wish to be understood as necessarily intending members which rotate together or in opposition, since commonly I prefer to lock one member -or make the same stationary and advance the sheets by the rotation of the opposing member.

More specifically, my improvements contemplate the mounting of one of such coacting rolls pivotally by means of terminalbrackets adjacent to the opposing roll and providing an adjustment therefor comprising a spring and opposing screw mechanism, whereby the position of the adjustable roll may be accuratel regulated. I have also associated with the lowermost roll an adjustable guard adapted to expose more or less of the periphery of said roll and thereby modify its action upon the sheets as they successively pass between the rolls to be fed forward.

The articular features of my improved mechanism may best be explained by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of the mechanism in side elevation; the shafts being in section on line 1--l, Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the drivinggears for said shafts sectioned on line 2-2, Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sheet-feeding mechanism which is broken away in its upper portion.

Fig. 4: is a sectional view, somewhat diagrammatic in character and upon an enlarged scale, to show the relation of the feeding rolls and the adjustable guard member.

Fig. 5 is a plan view; Fig. 6 an end view and Fig. 7 a side elevation of the adjustable guard member with its attaching and adjusting screws.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings I have employed the same character of reference to indicate similar parts.

The supporting table for the sheets and the receiving or delivery table, which are adjuncts to my improved sheet-feeding mechanism, are not shown in the drawings, as they are unessential to explaining my present improvements. However, these will be associated with the mechanism of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, respectively positioned upon the left and right sides thereof.

The frame a is provided with a driving disc I) mounted on the same shaft with the intermediate gear 0 of the driving train. The upper gear (Z is keyed upon the shaft which mounts the upper roll 6 of the paired feeding rolls, while the lower gear f is splined or otherwise connected with the shaft which mounts the lower roll 9. With these gears in mesh, it will be seen that the upper roll e will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction for advancing the sheets of paper from left to right, while the lower roll g may be similarly rotated, thus tending to retard all but the uppermost sheet of a stack. However, except with thin or glazed stock, the lowermost roll preferably is not rotated, and the ear f is moved out of mesh to the dotted ine position shown in Fig. 3, so that the roll 9 may be locked against rotation by pin a".

It will be understood that these rolls respectively are faced with bands 6, g of soft rubber, so that the paper will be fed approximately at the speed of the upper roll, which is in engagement with the uppermost sheet of paper stock. When the lower roll is withheld from rotation, its soft rubber face acts merely as a ad over which the paper is passed, but modified in its action by the adjustable guard member, as occasion may require.

This guard member comprises a bifurcated plate h having curved forward fingers h approximating the curvature of the lower roll 9 and adjustably inserted in the appliance to extend upon either side thereof, as

shown in 3. This plate is carried by 5 tending through the base block 7' to permit a locking longitudinal adjustment. The base block, in turn, is provided with an at taching screw j adapted to secure the guard member removably upon the plate In extending transversely between the side frames of the machine.

The shaft d' which mounts the upper roll e of the pair of feeding rolls or members, is mounted in terminal brackets Z between the adjusting screws m and their opposing springs 01., duplicated at either side of the machine. Accordin 1y, a very close adjustment is obtainable or the feedin rolls, to suit the conditions of operation rom time to time or from job to job. Thus the particular thickness and characteristics of the paper stock may be accommodated in the lmproved feeding mechanism of my invention.

Moreover, the slightly retarding action of the lower member or roll 9, whether rotated reversely, or held stationary, may be varied to a nicety by adjusting the guard plate to expose or cover more or less of the rubber'surface of said roll. By employing this guard plate, either alone or in association with the particular adjustment of the feeding rolls, a paper-feeding mechanism of the class herein disclosed is rendered much more eficient than the ordinary paired feeding rolls of the artcan be made in their operation.

- Having now described the preferred embodiment of my invention, ll claim as new 40 and desire to secure by Letters Patent, to-

gether with such modifications as may be aaeoa made by one ordinarily skilled inathe art, the following:

1. The combination in a sheet-feeding mechanism, with paired feeding members; one of which is rotated for individually advancing the sheets, of an adjustable guard associated with the non-rotated member, and means for adjusting said guard to expose more or less of the operative face of said member and modify its action, substantially as set forth.

2. In a sheet-feeding mechanism, the combination with upper and lower feeding rolls coacting to advance the sheets one at a time, of a ard associated with the lower roll in position to modify its action with respect to the sheets, and means for adjusting said guard with respect to the roll to expose operatively more or less of the surface of the roll, substantially as set forth.

3. In a sheet-feeding mechanism, the combination with reversely-acting upper and lower feeding rolls, of a guard member extending rearwardly and at either side of the lower roll in position to modify its action with respect to the sheets, and screwactuated means for adjusting said member to expose operatively more or less of the surface of the roll, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a sheet-feeding mechanism, the combination with reversely acting upper and lower feeding members, of a guard partially covering one of said members and extending at either side thereof, and means for adjusting said guard to modify its action upon the sheets, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof I do now afiix my signature.

ANDREW OLSON. 

